Who does HR go to? Let’s play the game.
Anonymous
Who does HR go to? Let’s play the game.
HR colleagues— and all advice welcomed (besides “find another job,” which is already in motion).
I’m an HR leader operating as a department of one, reporting directly to the top executive in a small-to-midsize organization. I’m a trusted advisor and part of the senior leadership team, with responsibilities that include enterprise people strategy, long-range planning, succession planning, executive advising, workforce planning, and leading organization-wide initiatives such as the development and rollout of our core values, yet the only one without a VP title.
Here’s the dilemma I’m struggling with:
Multiple senior leaders have raised concerns with me about perceived unfair or biased treatment by the top executive. Independently, I’ve observed a pattern where performance concerns are addressed more directly and publicly with certain leaders, while similar performance gaps from others are handled more passively or favorably. This inconsistency has been difficult to witness and raises concerns about equity, psychological safety, and credibility in the performance management process.
As HR, I’m frequently asked for guidance on how to address these performance concerns, yet there is resistance to formal documentation, clear expectations, or consistent follow-through. At the same time, I hold information that shows uneven application of standards across leaders, which puts me in a challenging ethical position.
Complicating this further, influence within the organization appears concentrated within certain functions, affecting how feedback, compensation, and advancement decisions are made. I’ve experienced feedback tied more to cross-functional dynamics than to my actual performance, without clear expectations or guidance on what “better collaboration” should look like.
I’m not sharing this to assign blame, but to ask from an ethical HR lens:
How do you continue to support leadership as HR when you observe patterns of inconsistency or potential bias, yet lack the authority to correct them directly?
How do you maintain integrity, objectivity, and trust—both with leadership and with employees—when fairness does not appear to be applied evenly?
And how do you protect your own professional credibility while still fulfilling the role of trusted advisor?
Who does HR go too or can talk to about these concerns and issues
I appreciate perspectives from those who’ve navigated similar dynamics.
Thank you.
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